Five Surprising Ways You Could Be Compromising Your Identity

Even if you take steps to protect your identity, like choosing safe passwords and only using password-protected wireless networks, you could still fall victim to identity theft if you are not careful. Here are some surprising ways you may already be compromising your identity.

Sharing Information on Facebook

Facebook makes it easy to share your personal information with hundreds of your “closest” friends, but once that information is online, it could also fall into the hands of a hacker. A thief looking to steal your identity could use information that is readily available on Facebook, such as your birth date and former and current employment, to steal your identity. By being a little less open on your social media accounts, you could be protecting your identity.

Forgetting to Monitor Your Bank Account and Credit Reports

If you are not careful about keeping up with your financial information, you could miss a thief trying to steal your identity. If you see applications for new credit cards that you didn’t apply for or strange changes in your bank statements, this could mean that a thief is after your identity. Even unusal small transactions could be an indication that your identity has been compromised. Thieves may use small test transactions to see whether you’re paying attention and if you’ll be an easy target.

Losing Track of Your Personal Information

You could be compromising your identity simply by not keeping track of personal information and documents. You should never throw out financial statements or tax returns. If you no longer need documents that have your personal information on them, shred them and then throw them away.

Confidential documents are often sent through the mail, so also be sure your mailbox is secure. If mail isn’t delivered directly through a slot in your door, consider locking your mailbox or getting a P.O. Box. At the very least, when you are traveling, keep track of all your personal documents and ensure that you have a trusted friend collect your mail so that important documents don’t sit for days in your mailbox.

Carelessly Giving Out Personal Information

Next time a salesperson asks you for your Social Security number or Driver’s License number ask them why they need it. If you don’t have to give it to them, then don’t. Ask any company that requires your Social Security number for their privacy policy, so you are sure that they will not inadvertently be giving away your confidential information.

Thinking Identity Theft Won’t Happen to You

Identity theft may happen to some people, but it probably won’t happen to you, right? Wrong. If you’re apathetic to your online and mobile security, you could be setting yourself up for some serious problems down the road. Take the first step to protecting your identity now by using RecordVault to save and secure your confidential information.